The Story Behind Karnataka's Brand New CM Yeddyurappa's Green Shawl

The newly appointed Chief Minister on Thursday took oath in the name of farmers and the almighty.

New Delhi: Despite Congress-JD(S) moving the Supreme Court late last night and protests outside Raj Bhavan on Thursday morning, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader BS Yeddyurappa, sporting his green shawl, was sworn in as the Chief Minister for the third time.

With the ongoing farmer crisis in the country and the BJP promising farm loan waiver worth Rs 1 lakh crore in their electoral campaign, BS Yeddyurappa’s green shawl was a reminder of his commitment to farmers’ issue.

The newly appointed Chief Minister on Thursday took oath in the name of farmers and the almighty.

The senior leader is also known for his dressing sense.

He belongs to a minority group of politicians who wears a safari suit, shunning the typical khadi shirt-trouser, kurta-pyjama or jubba-dhoti.

Yeddyurappa used to wear a shirt and trouser when he worked as a lower level employee of social welfare department. Later, when he became a pracharak of RSS, he wore a white shirt and khaki cheddi. As a senior politician, he wore safari suit most of the time. He has been seen in a shirt and trouser too.

When he visited temples, he wore a lungi or dhoti. When he took oath as the Chief Minister for the first time, Yeddyurappa wore his trademark safari suit. When he became CM for the second time, Yeddyurappa wore a safari but wrapped his shoulders with a green shawl.

Yeddyurappa became the only CM in south India to wear a band gala. His counterparts in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala wear a lungi or dhoti with a shirt or jubba. The late Andhra Pradesh CM YS Rajasekhara Reddy was alway seen wearing Andhra panche with a jubba. Kerala’s V S Achutanandan wears a white mundu and jubba. Karunanidhi wears a lungi and shirt.

Yeddyurappa was born to Siddalingappa and Puttatayamma at Bookanakere of Krishnarajpet Taluk in Mandya District on 27 February 1943 in the family of two brothers and two sisters. He completed his B.A. Graduation in Bangalore. He came into the contact of RSS at the age of fifteen.

In 1965, Yeddyurappa went to Shikaripura in Shivamogga district for spreading the work of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. He developed a good rapport with the public and people of Shikaripura. Later, he married Maitradevi on 5 March 1967 and has two sons and three daughters. He worked as a Sangha Karyavaha during 1970-72. In 1972, at the age of 29 years he entered public life by becoming the Taluk President of Janasangh in Shikaripura. From 1974 to 1976 he served as the Director of Veerashaiva Cooperative Society.

In 1976, he was elected as Town Municipality Member of Shikaripur. During 1975 emergency period he was imprisoned for forty five days at Shivamogga and Ballari prisons. In 1977, he became Municipality President. He was also elected as the President of Janata Party in the same year.

“For the last 45 years, even today, I’m going to my farm. I have coconut garden and mango garden. We also cultivate paddy and grow vegetables, so many things we do in our farm. Even now whenever I go to my native place, Shikaripura, I go to my fields and I’ll spend hours together there. From last 45 years I’m an agriculturist. Even today my son and I are looking after our fields,” said Yeddyurappa on his official website.